Something has Changed Within Me
by greekfan533
Summary: Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny are having an uneventful summer day, until Ginny has an idea for a practice duel. How will this bring Ron and Hermoine closer together?


It was a sunny day on the third of August. Harry, Ron, and Hermione's sixth year at Hogwarts had ended about a month prior. Ginny and Harry had talked it over, and for the time being, they were going to act as if they had never even had feelings for each other. The four friends were sitting outside, awaiting the return of Molly Weasley, who had gone to Diagon Alley to do a bit of shopping.

"I have an idea of what we could do now, rather than loafing around out here," Ginny said.

"What is it?" Ron asked, now curious.

"Well, since you three are all of age, what if we had a bit of a duel? It could be me and Harry against you and Hermione," Ginny explained, looking towards Ron. Harry and Ron nodded in agreement as they pulled out their wands. Hermione didn't seem so convinced.

"Ginny, while you are correct that I, Ron, and Harry are of age and could use practice, you on the other hand, are not of age," Hermione said in a disapproving voice.

"Hermione, the Ministry can't tell who cast magic in a Wizarding home, just that someone did. That's why Harry got caught when he performed underage magic; because he was the only one capable of performing magic in that house. Also, I think that the Ministry is a little too busy with other matters to worry about a fifteen year old girl casting magic. Plus, I think the Ministry will want to be on Harry's good side, and I don't think that includes sending a letter that could potentially get me expelled. Besides, are YOU going to tell on me?" Ginny asked, knowing that Hermione would end up reluctantly agreeing.

Hermione sat in silence for a moment, looking around for support. When she got none, she said, "I guess you're right. It may be wrong, but it IS important," Hermione said reluctantly as she pulled out her wand. Ginny pulled out hers as well.

"Okay, as I said, it's Harry and me against Ron and Hermione. No illegal curses, and Hermione--- seeing as you are the only one who is allowed to Apparate, you are not allowed to. Other than that, just let the best team win!" Ginny cried. Using her wand, she shot red sparks into the air, signifying the beginning of the duel.

" i Expelliarmus! /i " Harry cried, uttering the first spell of the duel. Ron's wand went flying across the yard.

Reacting quickly, Hermione said, " i Accio! /i " summoning the wand back, which she then threw to Ron.

Ginny saw her chance to strike. " i Incarcerous! /i " Ginny intoned. Ropes suddenly tied Hermione up. Ron, who was oblivious to the fact that Hermione was now unable to help, blocked Harry's leg locker curse.

Hermione could now barely move. She used her hand to point her wand upward towards the ropes. " i Finite Incantatem /i ," Hermione muttered, causing the ropes to vanish.

" i Alohomora! /i Wait, no that's wrong. i Lumos! /i That's wrong, too, isn't it?" Ron asked. He then began to make his way towards Harry so his aim would be more accurate for his next spell, which would actually be a proper spell to use in a duel. In order to stop him, Harry took action.

" i IMPEDIMENTA! /i " Harry bellowed. He must have put too much power into it, because rather than simply stopping Ron in his tracks, it made him fly backwards into a tree.

"Ron! Are you all right?" Hermione called. When she received no answer apart from a small groan, she dropped her wand and rushed over to Ron to help him up. Ron had a limp, so she had to help him walk. She placed her arm around his shoulders, and she maneuvered his arm to be wrapped around her back.

"Ron! I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you! I must have put too much power into that jinx. I'm sorry," Harry said, as Ron and Hermione passed where he was standing.

"Harry, please, don't feel bad. We all know that it was an accident," Hermione said in a calm voice, although what she was feeling inside wasn't anything close to calm.

Ron only became fully conscious a few moments later when they reached his room. The scent of fresh quills filled his nostrils, and he realised Hermione was there. i That's odd. I smelled that same scent in Slughorn's class when we were working on that love potion thing… but that couldn't be… could it? That's rubbish, /i Ron thought. i If it's rubbish, then why does being so close to her feel so right? /i As Ron realized his feelings for Hermione, he decided to do something rash.

i Something isn't right. Being this close to Ron has never felt so good. Do I… no, that's ridiculous. But it's the only explanation. And he smells like Amortentia. That love potion. It smells the same as what we love. Does that mean… it couldn't… could it? It's ridiculous...But it's the only plausible explanation, /i Hermione thought.

i I'm going to tell Hermione how I feel. I know it's rash, but for some reason, I feel like I have to, /i Ron thought to himself.

"Hermione?"

"Ron! Thank goodness you're all right, I was worried," Hermione said excitedly.

"Hermione, I have something important to tell you. I think that I might, well, I'm not sure how to say this, but something has changed within me. There are feelings for you that weren't there before, if you understand what I mean. And I think I like it," Ron said.

"Oh, Ron. I wasn't sure about my feeling for you until just now. There are feelings for you that I never had had before inside me. I think that I might…" Hermione started, but was cut off by Ron placing a finger over her lips. Hermione swallowed as Ron removed the finger.

"Shhh," Ron said. It was the last noise Hermione heard before Ron's lips touched hers. They were kissing for quite sometime before they broke apart, only to find them self in a position that Molly Weasley would frown upon.

Hermione managed to get out from under him, so she was no longer in a somewhat awkward position. Standing over him, she asked, "So, Ron, just curious, is your head feeling all right from when you hit the tree?"

"Yeah, it's fine now. Why?"

"Well, if it hurt, then I could kiss it and make it better," Hermione said.

"You know, there actually is this spot that hurts on my head. The spot is right here," Ron said, pointing to his lips. Hermione bent over to kiss Ron, but she chose just the wrong moment. Mrs. Weasley had just come home. She had heard about Ron's accident and headed up to his room. She opened the door just as Hermione's lips touched Ron's.

"RONALD! HERMOINE! I was told Ron had an accident, but you two came up here to SNOG? You both are far too young to engage in such activity. Ron, you are grounded for the next three days, and Hermione, I can't really do much of anything to you, but I forbid my son from speaking to you unsupervised for the next three days." Mrs. Weasley was a force to be reckoned with.

Hermione blushed and hung her head low. She walked out of Ron's room and into her own. She heard arguing coming from Ron's room, and moments later, Ron stepped into her room. He walked over to her and began to passionately kiss her. Moments later, Mrs. Weasley arrived, but both teenagers were oblivious to her arrival, so she simply left the room, resolving to berate them later.

i Years Later… /i 

"I do," Hermione said.

"I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," Arthur Weasley said, and with that, Ron and Hermione Weasley shared there first kiss as a married couple.

Ron and Hermione Weasley lived on happily ever after.


End file.
